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Seaford residents turn out to controversial homes hearing
AROUND 30 residents turned out to a hearing last week after an appeal was lodged following the decision to turn down plans for 10 earth-sheltered homes in Seaford.
The controversial proposals, which include creating dwellings on land known as the Dip, have been strongly opposed to by homeowners – and many of them were at the meeting held at the town council offices last Tuesday to speak against the application.
The plans include five three-bed houses and five two-bed houses, car parking, a landscaping project to create biodiversity and a sustainable urban drainage system on land next to 47 Surrey Road.
In July last year Lewes District Council's planning committee turned down the plans saying it would harm the character of the area. But The Rigden Group, based in Newhaven, argued that raising the land levels could conceal the homes. The application, based in the Hawth Valley area of the town, is one of several that have been put forward for The Rigden Group on that site.
At last week's hearing the issue of wildlife being affected was mentioned – one of the key points the campaign group Defenders of the Dip have highlighted when objecting to plans in the area.
Town planner Alan Edgar, who spoke on behalf of his client The Rigden Group at the hearing, said, "There was a reasonable balance between people who spoke in favour and people who spoke against it which was interesting."
He added that a retired planner, ecologist and architect had expressed being in favour of the plans at the hearing.
Steve Howe, area planning officer for Lewes District Council spoke on behalf of the council.
Inspector John Papworth is due to announce his decision at the beginning of February.
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Weather for Eastbourne
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
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